Lion Head Mesa tearstain

his words rolled over her in another vow.

tamar did not want him to vow. she wanted the pressure and the passion of him, for him to forget this deception and all words and only exist with her for an achingly short time.

he had asked for her freedom, the maidservant reminded herself.

arsenio meant the words that he spoke.

but he did not understand what it meant to be indentured. his service ended when whoever had placed him here decided it was time to leave. tamar bore a debt to be paid. at any time she might leave akashingo, might run away and exist elsewhere. pharaoh would replace her. it would not be difficult. but she did not know why she remained.

and so tamar stood nothing, only stood desperate and trembling against him with something she wished did not feel so like hope.